Ghost of Days Gone By
by Song of a Nightingale
Summary: So I sing this song tonight, To the ghost that will not die, And somehow it seems to haunt me till the end. Do you feel the same? For what once remained, Yesterday is gone, we can't go back again. Do you ever cry for the Ghost of Days Gone By?


**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Song: Ghost of Days Gone By – Alter Bridge**

_The misery I know_

_Like a friend that won't let go_

_Is creeping up on me now once again_

This can't be happening, it can't! He was his friend, his best friend, the only one who understood him. There is just no way he could be… dead.

_So I sing this song tonight,_

_To the ghost that will not die,_

_And somehow it seems to haunt me till the end_

It was his fault. If only he had been faster.

Naruto felt the tears that burned in his eyes as he stared at the ground. Or more particularly, who was lying on the ground. He clenched his teeth together in anger and frustration, and then did the tears start to fall.

He felt nothing but sadness, anger and the bitter cold.

_Do you feel the same?_

_For what once remained_

_Yesterday is gone, we can't go back again._

If he had arrived only a day earlier, then Gaara wouldn't be lying here dead! It's not fair, it's just not fair! Gaara didn't deserve this.

"Why?" he choked out. "Why is it always Gaara?" More tears fell.

"If he dies like this…" he sobbed.

_Do you ever cry for the Ghost of Days Gone By?_

"He's the Kazekage. He _just became the Kazekage!_"

Finally after fifteen years Gaara could sleep now. A sleep he will never awake from.

"Try to calm yourself, Naruto Uzumaki." Atried voice comes from behind him.

Naruto spun around.

"You shut up!"

Chiyo seemed surprised by Naruto's outburst. She could clearly see his angry face and the stream of tears flowing down.

_I remember summer days_

_We were young & unafraid_

_With innocence we'd glide _

_Beneath the stars_

"Just shut up! If all of you sand shinobi hadn't put a monster inside of Gaara, then none of this would've ever happened to him! Did you ever even consider how Gaara felt? Did you ever even ask!?" Naruto squeezed his eyes shut, as if he was trying to make everything go away. "Calling us Jinchuuriki," he cried as the others looked down in regret. "What gives you the right to label us? Who are you to decide someone else's fate?" he staggered a bit as his tears fell to the ground. "

_It seems so long ago_

_Beyond the life that I now know_

_Before the years would have their _

_Way & break my heart_

Chiyo looked down in regret and guilt.

"I couldn't save Sasuke and I can't save Gaara either," he sobbed. "For three years I trained _so hard _and _nothing _has changed."

It was only after that did Chiyo raise her head. She got to her feet and slowly limped over to where Gaara lay. All while Naruto continued to cry into his arm.

_Do you feel the same__  
__For what once remained__  
__Yesterday is gone, we can't go back again__  
__Do you know ever cry for the_

_Ghost of Days Gone By_

Chiyo knelt next to Gaara and looked at his face and regretted ever putting Shukaku inside him. She may not be able to go back and save him, but she could damn well try now!

Placing her hands on his chest a bright blue glow of chakra suddenly surrounded them, slowly seeping her life force into Gaara to bring him back to life.

_And I know it's drawing closer  
With each day I feel the end  
I Don't want to die, don't want to die_

Chiyo was struggling to revive Gaara with so little chakra. But Naruto had already knelt opposite her on the other side of Gaara's body and was holding out his hands. Never had Chiyo thought that someone would be willing to give up some of their life for another.

With his hands on top of Chiyo's, Naruto closed his eyes and called out to Gaara in his mind, helping him back to the World of the Living.

"Gaara…" he thought desperately.

_I DON'T WANT TO DIE_

"GAARA!"

"Who is that…? Who's calling me?"

As children Naruto saw Gaara at the age of six, curled up in a ball and crying. Pure joy over took him when he saw the redhead and he reached out and put a hand on his shoulder to comfort him.

Gaara turned around to face to a widely grinning Naruto which morphed back into his proper age. The world behind them faded into a bright light.

_Do you feel the same  
For what once remained  
Yesterday is gone, we can't go back again  
Do you ever cry for the days gone by  
Do they haunt you like a ghost until the end_

_Until the end, until the end…_

"Gaara," Naruto whispered. Gaara's eyes were wide as he stared at Naruto in shock.

"Naruto…"

He's alright, Naruto thought while staring into Gaara's beautiful eyes. He's alive.


End file.
